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Is Vac-Metalizing In MOTUC a Good Idea or Bad Idea?

This thread is coming from all the talk about Hurricane Hordak being vac-metalized.

I see a lot of varying opinions on this, so I thought it would make for a good discussion thread!

Is vac-metalizing a good idea in MOTUC?

PROS:

- It's shiny and cool looking, reminiscent of real gold, silver, copper, etc.
- The vintage toys had it (like HH and Entrapta)
- Adds something unique to a figure/gives him or her more personality
- (story-wise) it can BLIND/distract an opponent

CONS:

- It can chip pretty easily (loose accessories flopping around in package during shipping, moving arms, removing armour, etc.) and might look really bad in the long run
- Not all figures with gold armour are vac-metalized (He-Ro, Bow, King Randor, Chief Carnivus, She-Ra)
- It might cost more than paint, which could take money away from additional accessories or pieces (like a new head, feet or something)

We actually HAVE vac-metalized pieces in MOTUC right now: Mo-Larr's dental tools! I think I read a bunch of people had them chipped though.

I personally am not sure how I feel about vac-metalizing for toys. It does look cool, but can chip really easily. I really like the gold paint job we saw at WonderCon on Hordak. The metallic green paint Mattel used on Hal Jordan (Green Lantern, DCUC) in gold would look like a good compromise between the two.

I don't know. What do you guys think?

Here's a sample of what can happen: red wearing off of Horde symbol. You can see the gold coming through. This happened a lot to Entrapta too. Her skin came off and revealed silver:

Last edited by Darkspecter; April 4, 2011 at 05:17pm.

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Look at the rest of that hordak though. The same thing is happening to his head. I think the difference here is, those toys were played with a lot and thus went through a lot. As adults I think we are going to be much nicer to these and I think it will be less of an issue... that said... I think weapons it will happen with because you are putting them in and out of the hands a lot. I AM also a little worried about his chest armor I guess because when you take it off it bends

Vac Metal near Articulation points... Most likely to get chipped Especially with the Half Armors...
I hate the items that get Vac-Metal because most of the time they've got cheaper plastic and when the Vac Metal chips off it angers me... Remember the Silverhawks toys?
Vac Metal only works on Destro's head... Mostly cause he's small! GOld Paint FTW (which I'll probably end up doing... If I don't chop the dial off and make a Filmation Hordak)

FINALLY!! GLIMMER IS IN MY SHELF!! Crita is coming... Now I NEED SONGSTER! The Awesometastic Bard!

I think Vac-Metalicizing is bad because it chips and flakes like crazy. I think MOTUC should stay far away from it. Besides, why Vac-Metalicize now? It isn't consistent with the other gold wearing characters.

Look at the rest of that hordak though. The same thing is happening to his head. I think the difference here is, those toys were played with a lot and thus went through a lot. As adults I think we are going to be much nicer to these and I think it will be less of an issue... that said... I think weapons it will happen with because you are putting them in and out of the hands a lot. I AM also a little worried about his chest armor I guess because when you take it off it bends

i was going to write a reply here - but this pretty much answers it for me ...

when all is said and done, i'm pretty much pro vac-metalizing ... above all, it looks cool! ...

''He-Man lives and possesses that key, I must possess all or I possess nothing!'' (Skeletor, 1987)

Since it's a collectors line, it's good because we won't be bashing our toys and if we do, we are aware ahead of time what that can do. The same can be said about flocking. I've read the argument that if you flock Mossman, you can't play with him in your bathtub, well why would you? And if you do, you'd be aware of the risk.

Actually there is another con in that vac metal cracks and flakes as it ages.

This happens regardless of play patterns or even if you open the figure. Not that long ago I purchased from eBay the one DaiGunder figure I was missing from my collection (A piece I spent 3 years hunting for). It was MISB and when I opened it to put on display (and see if the video game portion of it worked,) I was shocked to see that a large chunk of the vac metal paint and cracked and flaked off all on its own to the bottom of the box.

That's not an isolated incident. Transformer fans have been discovering that their Beast Wars and Beast Machines figures, even the ones that are just on display are going through the same process, that the vac metal plating starts developing cracks and it starts to flake off. While it doesn't necessarily happen to every product in every collection, it does happen far more often then not.

Granted this isn't an immediate effect; it does take a few years to happen.

I think Vac-Metalicizing is bad because it chips and flakes like crazy. I think MOTUC should stay far away from it. Besides, why Vac-Metalicize now? It isn't consistent with the other gold wearing characters.

actually it depends on who does it, my hasbro c3po figure is just like new

I am far less tempted to get Hurricane Hordak without the vac metal. I don't know what the problem is with it. Maybe one day they'll redo He-Ro's that way, too, though I prefer his the way it is. Hordak is bad enough to wear shiny gold and it not detract from his badness.

While I don't play with my toys as much as I used to (or in the same way), I still don't think it's a good idea. I hate it when my toys become statues because I'm too afraid to mess with 'em too much. I start to wonder: what's the point? If I just set them up and look at them, they feel like they're taking up space (same as when they're packed up, too). Point is, I gotta play with them to make them feel worthwhile, and if I'm afraid to play with them, then it's annoying.

Vac-Metal, like folks are saying, won't be as bad for an adult, but I still will touch it from time to time. It's gona get fingerprints, then (of course) I'll be afraid of dropping the stupid thing. I know plenty have fallen off of shelves before, and some have slipped through my fingers. Also, I just put my figures in bins, and it's been doing fine for me. There are some that I like to keep out and away from others (doing that with Moss Man) and I'd like to keep that amount to a minimum.

What I'm bascially saying, is that it turns a normal figure into a "handle with care" figure, and that's annoying.

"Since you got here by not thinking, it seems reasonable to expect that, in order to get out, you must start thinking." ~ Tock, the Watchdog

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i kind of look at it like the fuzz on mossman, if the orginal HH was Vac Metal, i say go with vac metal. I know mossman is much bigger than HH in the main toyline, but still its in classic toy, keep it

Well, I'm obviously pro-vac, I mean, how cool is the vac effect?
Anyway, I don't think that the vac process is going to take money from additional accessories, the MOTUC budget is growing on year basis, so after 3 years they can do vac-metallized parts, probably they would from the start but they couldn't at that time.

Sure it has some side effect, like the chipping and crack, but couldn't be possible that they came up with a process more advanced that make it more durable than old figures' vac-metallized parts?

Sure it has some side effect, like the chipping and crack, but couldn't be possible that they came up with a process more advanced that make it more durable than old figures' vac-metallized parts?

It might be more advanced than in the 80's. I'm not sure. I found this info at a site for a company that does vac-metalizing:

Before parts are metalized they are washed and basecoated to ensure a smooth finish to coat over.

During the vacuum metallizing process aluminum is evaporated in a vacuum chamber, which than condenses back on and bonds to the parts to form a uniform layer, which shines like chrome.

After the metalizing takes place there is a protective topcoat applied similar to the ones used in the automotive industry. You can also add dyes to the topcoat to achieve bright chrome colors gold’s, bronze’s, copper’s, and gunmetal’s.

Vacuum metallizing conforms to the base material that is being coated. If there is texture, scratches, blister, etc it will show through the coating.

Two other important things they touched upon:

Vacuum metalizing DOES NOT have the same durability or corrosive resistance that chrome plating does.

It is much more environmentally friendly and cost effective than chrome plating or chrome painting.

And, how to clean vac-metalized stuff:

Chrome vacuum metalizing should not be cleaned with abrasive materials; you should only clean it with a damp soft rag. The chemicals in household cleaners can affect the clear coat causing it to become hazy or milky.

I think it would be okay for them to try it I guess, but they better make sure Hordak's armour is cast in gold plastic as a back-up!

With all the accessories coming loose in the package and flopping around during shipping (like Shadow Beast's club), we might not have to play rough with our figures to make them chip...the postal service might do that for us!

Last edited by Darkspecter; April 4, 2011 at 05:16pm.

Take part in Illumina Day! Let people know who she is and help get her in MOTUC.

I think Vac-Metalicizing is bad because it chips and flakes like crazy. I think MOTUC should stay far away from it. Besides, why Vac-Metalicize now? It isn't consistent with the other gold wearing characters.